Yukon gov't to implement all recommendations from wide-ranging health care report
The Yukon government will be implementing all 76 recommendations from a wide-ranging report on Yukon health released in May, Health and Social Services Minister Pauline Frost said Thursday.
The report calls for a complete overhaul of the health care system resulting in major changes in how and what services are delivered to Yukoners.
Frost said changes to medical travel subsidies will be among the first recommendations to be implemented.
The daily medical subsidy will double from $75 to $150, she said, and will begin on the first day of travel rather than the current second day.
Another specific commitment from the minister is that all Yukoners, 65 years-of-age and up, will be vaccinated against shingles.
Some of the bigger recommendations will take longer to implement, Frost said
That includes creating a new arms-length agency to deliver all health cares services to Yukoners, including the operations of Yukon's three hospitals.
It would also manage new polyclinics that would replace the current doctors clinics.
Each Yukoner would be assigned to a polyclinic where a focus would be on preventative health care.
Frost's deputy minister Stephen Samis said the department will be in talks with doctors on reforms to the health care system.
Frost said costs will not immediately go down.
But the effects of more preventative health care will result in less cost in the coming years.
Report recommendations
Among the recommendations released in May:
The creation of "Wellness Yukon," an arms-length government agency that delivers health and social services in the territory and contracts non-government organizations and others to deliver specialty services.
Work with the Yukon Medical Association to "transition away from primarily fee-for-service payment for medical services."
Increased use of virtual care for Yukoners to access services from their homes and communities.
Double the current medical travel subsidy from $75 per day to $150 per day, beginning on the first day of travel.
Create residences in Whitehorse and Vancouver so medical travellers won't need a hotel.
Expand the territory's vaccine program.
Work toward fully-funded, universal early childhood education for all Yukon children over the age of one.
Expand palliative and end-of-life care programs with direct funding to individuals and families.
An Office of First Nations Health within the Department of Health and Social Services.
Other recommendations focus on making a more holistic system, by focusing on social determinants of health, preventative health and community involvement.
